New York, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 31st Aug, 2024) Who said what at the US Open on Friday, the fifth day of the 2024 tournament at Flushing Meadows:
“The way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament, third round is a success. I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly.”
— Defending champion Novak Djokovic after losing to Alexei Popyrin
“For me, winning Montreal was way bigger than today, just because it’s a title, and it’s a Masters 1000 title. That felt unbelievable. Today was something that I kind of thought I could do. Winning a Masters 1000 was not something that kind of crossed my head.”
— Popyrin trying to put his win over Djokovic into perspective
“They tell me, ‘like you’re 12 years old’. But I’m not much younger than them.”
— Coco Gauff, who is 20, on the gentle ribbing she receives from older US tennis teammates, especially close friends Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton
“Just trying to bring more, I guess, awareness to the sport for the girls and guys out there in Saudi. Yeah, I’m looking forward too. I feel like in order to I guess enact a dream or for a kid to see a dream, they have to see it in person.”
— Gauff on the controversial decision to hand hosting rights of the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia
“I remember when I come back to the street in China, I have to put on my cap because if one recognises me, there will be a lot of people come to ask my signature.”
— China’s Zheng Qinwen on her fame which has rocketed since winning Olympic gold
“He came running to me, and he is, like, I almost had a heart attack. Also, when I was playing, I don’t know when, it was 6-All, it came to my mind.
I was, like, Stef for sure is having a heart attack right now.”
— Paula Badosa after needing a final set tie-break to defeat Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse having also saved a match point and its combined effect on boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas
“In my head I’ll always just be kind of regular Emma, under-the-radar Emma, but yeah, maybe to the rest of the world I’m more on the radar now. I thought being on the radar would be more of a scary thing than it actually is. Now that I think I’m here, it’s not so bad.”
— Emma Navarro on her low-key life on the tour
“Getting to know her was awesome. She gets a ton of attention. Just walking around the Village with her was pretty crazy. You know, people constantly coming up to her and wanting to trade pins, wanting to take a picture with her. Especially for her age, to be able to handle it as well as she does is really impressive.”
— Navarro on sharing a room at the Paris Olympic village with US compatriot Coco Gauff who she faces in the fourth round on Sunday
“He’s an incredible player. He really is. He goes for all kinds of shots. He’s got no care in the world. It’s really annoying.”
— Frances Tiafoe on Ben Shelton after defeating his close friend to reach the last 16
“I’m probably just a little butt-hurt because I didn’t get to bring out my night-session kit.”
— Ben Shelton on his disappointment that his match with Frances Tiafoe was played in the day rather than night session
“Someone’s blowing up my phone. Hey, I’m in a press conference, Dad. I’ll be out in a couple minutes. Bye.”
— Shelton to his father whose telephone call interrupted his press conference